Google: Why can’t Europe be more like Silicon Valley?

Google’s chief exec Larry Page has hit out at European governments, saying more needs to be done for Europe to compete with the likes of Silicon Valley.

Europe trumps Silicon Valley in size and population – that’s a given – but the San Fran district is a melting pot for tech innovation that puts our pastry-proffering continent to shame.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Page asked: “Why can’t we get more of these things going in Europe?”

“Like celebrating technology, having a friendly environment for it, having more investment in science and a basic understanding and entrepreneurialism and making money and moving quickly and kind of the things that are good about Silicon Valley,” said Page.

Google, whose financial resources amount to somewhere around $62bn, wants to help Europe out, but Page still isn’t sure how.

“We’re in a bit of uncharted territory. We’re trying to figure it out,” the CEO revealed. “How do we use all these resources…and have a much more positive impact on the world?”

The term Silicon Valley rose to widespread use back in the early 80s, marking the Californian area’s booming tech trade.

Today Silicon Valley houses a wealth of start-ups, as well as a chunk of the biggest tech firms on the planet – Google, Facebook, Nvidia, Netflix, and Apple, to name but a few.

Despite the Cali-centricity, Google does have its own spin-off HQ here in London – a 160,000 square foot behemoth that signals the firm hasn’t given up on Europe just yet.